Mac Pro specification help requested

[hedleyw]

I'm about to upgrade from my Pentium D 3.2 PC which struggles a bit on HD projects to a Mac Pro.

What spec should I look at? I'm thinking of the 2.8GHz with a 30" cinema display. What graphics card and hard drive configuration should I look at? I'll be moving my Edius NX across.

Most of my work is weddings, all edited in Edius and output to m2t for archive to tape and SD DVD. Is anyone editing raw m2t on a Mac Pro, if so will it handle three layers in multicam mode? I shoot on a Sony Z7 and converting to Canopus HD from the CF card is a pain :(

Lastly, how likely is a new model launch in the next few months? It's about time they added BluRay drives...

[STORMDAVE]

I doubt Apple will release a new Mac Pro anytime soon. There was already an upgrade very recently to the Penryn architecture.

You will be fine with 2.8Ghz. I have the 3.2Ghz (check my specs) and it's nice. You will be fine editing m2t file with the 2.8. Save some money and get the 2.8 and upgrade your RAM to at least 4GB. Don't get hard drives from Apple, but rather buy your own (Maybe 2 x 1TB drives) and stick them in the Mac Pro and make a RAID under Windows.

Get the 8800GT instead of the ATI. Dont get the RAM from Apple either, get 2GB stock and get 4GB from otherworldcomputing.com

Also check these threads regarding the Mac Pro:

(This thread is about the last gen Mac Pro, but I have the new one)

[hedleyw]

Thanks for your thoughts and the link - appreciated :)

[Geoff]

For what it's worth, I've been running Edius on a Mac for some time now. I seem to be unique in that I have problems with re-booting the Mac when the NX cards are installed; these have remained unsolved so I have removed these cards and simply monitor my video using the second monitor display. To do this I use the ATI 1900 Graphics card for the Mac with ATI's drivers from their web site and select the theatre mode with overlay. In all honesty, I can see virtualy no difference between the video diplayed this way as against the video from the HD composite output of the NX card when using that in the Mac. The monitor is a Dell 2408.

Good luck,

Geoff

[hedleyw]

Thanks Geoff - I noted that from your earlier posts. Hope you remain unique in that respect ;)

[bashvideo]

hi to all

i just have my new mac pro yesterday

i make like stormdave , but i installed windows vista 64 bit just to try it with the 8gb ram .

im thinking to remove vista 64bit and install vista 32bit in the few days .

stormdave said " make raid0 in windows " how to do that ? what the raid card that i can install it in the mac pro ? can you explain that ?

im thinking to install my edius nx card in mac pro . geoff said he have problems with booting , is there any way to fix these problems ?


thanks to all .

[STORMDAVE]

I think Geoff is alone with the problems. I'm on my second Mac Pro (the last one was previous generation and the new one is new generation) and the NX worked fine in both.

You can make a internal RAID0 by putting in 2x1TB drives (for example) in the drive cages and then do a software RAID0 by striping the 2 drives together in administrative tools > computer management > Storage > Disk Management (Local).

[bashvideo]

thanks to stormdave

do you mean i don't need raid 0 card ??

if i need raid card , what kind you prefer ??

i go to computer management > Storage > Disk Management . then what to do ? how can i make raid0 from there . can you explain more :)

thanks alot .

[STORMDAVE]

No you don't need a RAID card, unless you plan to run an external RAID setup. For external setups, caldigit is a good company to look at...

Check this page. Remember that you will not have fault tolerance in RAID 0, so if one of the drives die, you will lose all the data.

[bashvideo]

hi ,

i know the defrent between raid 0 , 0+1 , 5

but this is first time i know that i can make raid 0 without raid card .

thanks alot

[bashvideo]

hi ,

i installed my edius nx card with component hd card on my mac pro .

system booting normally , there is no proplem .

thanks to all .

[hedleyw]

The Mac Pro is on the way :). Pending the purchase of a couple of extra drives (budget is tight for a couple of months) are there any tips for setting up bootcamp on the main 750Gb drive please?

[Geoff]

Pleased to hear that all is OK with your instalation; just wish I could get mine going as it should. Canopus have said the NXe cards are OK, Apple have said their computer is OK and the boards exhibit the same fault on three brand new MacPros so it seems to me that it is an NXe problem, but I seem to have hit a blank wall as far as getting it fixed!
Geoff

[Geoff]

Hedley, Boot camp is no problem and has worked without any side issues for me; just follow the on screen instructions. I have fitted three extra internal HDs, two of which operate in RAID 0 and also increased my RAM to 7GB mainly for use with FCP and Photoshop - Windows only recognises up to 3GB.
Geoff

[hedleyw]

Thanks Geoff - expecting the UPS van next Thursday :)